The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 15, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

Forever Young Adult (page 3)

Created in 2009, Forever Young Adult is a community for YA fans who are a little less "Y" and a bit more "A." At FYA, you can let your inner Lady Nerd loose and swoon over fictional characters without shame (while sipping on a cocktail). From book reviews to TV crushes to movie drinking games, it's basically a non-stop Internet slumber party, and you're totally invited!

I adore this cover. It’s so simple, but manages to incorporate so many story references: the “painted sky,” the Chinese dragons, the violin, the girls’ silhouettes, and the snakes. The colors are striking. It’s the ...

Since this book is written as a script, the cover is extremely fitting. But the most appropriate aspect isn't the faux pages or binding—it's all of the GLITTER! SO MUCH GLITTER! I feel like you could ...

I'm about to sound ungrateful, because this artwork avoids all of the usual YA cover clichés, and even the illustrations of the two main characters are accurate. I should be happy! But...it's just so ...

LATEST RECIPIENT OFTHE KIRKUS STAR

General readers looking for a challenge will love this book and will dive into Blake's work. Many will find him just too far off the beam, but they, too, will enjoy the many color illustrations included in the text.

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